Lambrook School Nr Ascot, Berkshire Visit
school

Lambrook School
Nr Ascot

630 pupils, ages 3-13

Mixed

Day and Boarding

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Lambrook School

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Our View

There’s a lot to love about Lambrook School, one of the country’s oldest proper country preps. Full to the brim with a tight-knit gang of around 600 girls and boys, it’s fervently co-ed, offers brilliantly flexi boarding, super-duper sport, music, drama and art and packs children off to the top senior schools. It’s the very best blend of traditional English prep values, stonking facilities and a real sense of fun. They say they give children the ‘feathers to fly’; we say they help them soar.

Where is Lambrook?

Set in prime Home Counties commuter territory, trotting distance from Ascot racecourse and surrounded by very expensive real estate, Lambrook’s 52 acres of Berkshire grounds are a real pull for London parents: the Big Smoke is a 40-minute zip down the M4.

It’s pretty bucolic: we spotted children cartwheeling on the croquet lawn, racing around with cricket bats and swinging from old tyres hanging from the trees, sporting proper rosy cheeks and a healthy outdoorsy glow. The outdoor learning area and orchard have beautiful raised beds for growing veg, and pupils beetle around tending to their beehives and rabbits.

The school is anchored around a pristine, grand white country house, with Lambrook nursery and pre-prep all within the well-kept grounds. There’s a sense of delicious freedom and fresh air: little wonder so many prospective parents are Londoners.

Headmaster at Lambrook School

The utterly charming head of Lambrook Jonathan Perry and his wife Jenny are quite the double act – and rank as one of the most hospitable, interested and interesting couples we’ve come across on our school visits (and there have been many!). With their warmth and real family values rippling through the school, they’re fantastic role models for the children.

They’ve been here for well over a decade, and Mr Perry knows each child backwards (lots of schools pay lip service to this, but we saw it in action) and, along with the whole senior leadership team, chats to parents every morning at drop-off – a great way to nip any niggles in the bud before they become issues. Parental partnerships are absolutely vital, and his constant reassurance to parents that they will ‘hold hands on the journey together’ generates a transformative level of trust. He’s terrifically strategic and ambitious too (he spearheaded a rolling multi-million refurbishment practically the day he arrived). Staff praise his ‘incredible leadership’, and pupils totally adore him. ‘If I need anything, I just talk to Mr Perry,’ one new arrival reassured his mother, whilst another pupil we met told us that ‘Mr Perry’s main message is to be kind and that’s why I love it here’. We think that says it all.

What is the admissions process like at Lambrook?

It’s no wonder that this is a popular place, with locals and Londoners all queuing up for a slice of the Lambrook pie – and registrations are surging. They’re not just looking for academic superstars, but for pupils (and indeed families) who are prepared to try lots of new things and really get the most out of what Lambrook has to offer. As well as Reception, other key entry points are Year 3, Year 4 and Year 7, with children sitting age-appropriate assessments including a group interview, team-building exercises and papers in maths, English and non-verbal reasoning to rootle out potential and check that they can handle the curriculum further up the school. Parents also meet with the Perrys to help build up an all-important rapport.

The Lambrook Foundation continues to be a big focus, raising a staggering amount annually to help widen access to the school through a number of transformative bursaries.

Academics and senior school destinations

It’s the staff that make Lambrook School: a wonderful mix of young, vibrant talent and traditional schoolmasters. There are two sets of siblings on the staff list, and a tangible sense of teamwork – whether that’s in the staff room or as a member of the staff netball team. Strong academics underpin the whole operation here, but not at the expense of pupil wellbeing; one mother told us her daughter ‘hardly knew she was sitting her exams’ – despite a 100 per cent pass rate at CE.

Nursery children benefit from Little Barn’s bright and free flow facilities (the old nursery site has become an extension of the boys' boarding house).

From Year 5 up, lessons become six days a week (‘beware the dreaded early-morning Saturday starts,’ a parent warns), with the tempo taking a leap too – expect lots of extended learning such as current affairs and CARPE (think D of E for prep schools). All pupils in Years 5-8 have their own laptop to use in lessons.

Lambrook is very much a 13+ prep school, and the school hardly loses anyone at the end of Year 6. Mr Perry is mind-bogglingly clued up on senior schools and several parents told us that they really rated his invaluable advice. The average cohort heads off to around 35 different senior schools - here, it is all about the right school for the right child, and destination schools include Wellington College, Eton College, Marlborough, Charterhouse, Downe House and Teddies in Oxford. Scholarship hauls are jolly good too.

Co-curricular at Lambrook

Artwork was quite literally spilling out of the busy studio during our visit, and the school hosts two art and DT exhibitions every year, popular with parents but also designed to teach children the ‘life skill’ of attending exhibitions and critically appraising art. Drama – which takes place in the Diamond Jubilee Performing Arts Centre – is soaring, and on our recent visit, there was much excited chatter about the Year 8 production of Beauty and the Beast. The head of performing arts is something of a Lambrook legend – he’s been here for donkey’s years, and his energy and enthusiasm is truly infectious.

Music is a major part of school life (we were lucky enough to listen in on a truly mesmerising choir practice); pretty much everyone learns an instrument (from the harp to the bagpipes), and the chapel choir has gained legendary status on the prep-school circuit – not only do they often sing at Eton, but they’ve performed at Notre Dame too.

There’s a real sporty streak here, adding to Lambrook’s appeal to fresh-air-deprived townies. Facilities are top-notch, with a cedar-clad swimming pool (often loaned out to local state schools, with Lambrook staff running free swimming lessons), pitches galore and two Astros surfaced in Lambrook blue. There are indoor cricket nets and a nine-hole golf course (parents often pop by to sneak in a round), and the vibe is fully inclusive – they’ll often field a D team or beyond at matches so everyone gets a go. Years 7 and 8 join forces for sport, which as well as being a great chance for pupils to form inter-year friendships, also gives the really sporty ones the opportunity to properly stretch themselves too.

Rugby is thriving, cricket and football are refreshingly compulsory for girls and there’s some hockey and tennis thrown in for good measure. But just in case pupils have a hankering to try something new, enrichment and after school clubs push the sporting boundaries to encompass skiing, polo, fencing, judo, trampolining and dance. Wednesday afternoons make way for matches and there’s always a very vocal parent fan club on the sidelines. Anything to do with the legendary match teas, we wonder? And the best bit? All sports kit is laundered on site, so pupils never have to bring muddy clobber home. It’s a total godsend for frazzled parents.

Once lessons are done and dusted, it’s time for muddy-kneed fun. Pupils learn to forage for food and build shelters in the ground; collect apples from the allotment or eggs for breakfast; hunt for newts in the pond; and don beekeeper’s hats to get to work on the next batch of Lambrook honey (make sure you pick up a pot on your visit). Then there are the clubs, like mountain biking, scuba diving, public speaking and mini MasterChef. ‘You can feel the fun everywhere,’ says one mother. And she’s right.

Boarding at Lambrook

Boarding is popular – there are just over 100 beds on offer for children aged seven and upwards, and they are ‘pretty much full every night’– but there’s much more of a flexi vibe here than at some other preps. Children can stay over for anything from the odd night to up to five nights a week, and almost everyone gives it a go at some stage (great preparation for senior school). There are now two boarding houses; Lambrook House for girls and the newly updated Westfield for boys, complete with table tennis, pool, table football and a cosy kitchen for making top-up toasties. The dorms are big, with 16 beds in the boys Year 8 dorm, which the pupils are gradually making their own. It’s worth knowing that pupils move beds all the time, so they don’t have their own dedicated spot in the house – but no one seems to mind.

Weekends are spent at home; everyone heads off after chapel and matches on a Saturday. But weeknights sound like a hoot; think Harry Potter evenings and lashings of hot chocolate.

We love the lack of tech in the boarding house – life here is all about keeping busy, so no one notices the lack of a PlayStation or their mobile phones (there’s a strict no phones policy here). Bedtimes are well structured, and staff tell us that most children are asleep before their heads hit the pillow.

School community at Lambrook

The Perrys are seriously clued up on the importance of emotional wellbeing, and pastoral care here is second-to-none. We chatted to pupils of all ages whose pride in Lambrook was palpable – and there certainly wasn’t even an ounce of arrogance or sense of entitlement among them. Head of pastoral, Ed Marland has made a big impression and pupils we met told us how well equipped they felt in dealing with friendship issues and the like – there’s a wellbeing hub and pupils have access to ‘so many platforms’ from which to receive advice. Mrs Perry is a big fan of the ‘Swiss cheese’ analogy, reassuring parents and children that with the many layers of pastoral support in place here, it’s impossible for there to be a hole all the way through. Every single child has their person and every single member of staff has the pupils’ best interests at heart.

The Lambrook Foundation’s work doesn’t stop at bursaries – it also provides charitable support of a school overseas, and is continuing to grow its meaningful support of local schools whose pupils are regularly hosted for history, science or sports days, collected by a Lambrook minibus and welcomed with a hearty breakfast.

What Lambrook offers London parents is second to none; pupils can hop on one of the buses leaving from Brook Green or Chiswick first thing in the morning, enjoy all the spoils of a country education and then arrive back home in time for supper. Others hail from a burgeoning catchment area including Ascot, Henley, Marlow and Windsor; a dynamic cross-section of bankers, doctors, teachers and TV personalities. Some don’t even look at the fees; others work jolly hard to send their children here and they’re a highly sociable bunch with reps co-ordinating WhatsApp groups and hosting termly drinks parties.

And finally...

A super-happy and hardworking school, Lambrook ticks pretty much every box. We asked parents if they could think of any weaknesses. ‘Yes,’ they answered. ‘It doesn’t have a senior school!’ This is the ultimate country prep.

Gallery See All

Children leaning on a wooden gate with a lamb and trees in the background

Boy in Simba the lion costume with a black background

The cricket pitches and grounds of Lambrook school

Rear view of the choir walking along a corridor wearing white cassocks

Two girls on wooden swings wearing sunhats

Boy in a checked shirt holding a chicken

Senior school destinations

Senior school destinations

Leavers moved on to Bradfield, Brighton, Bryanston, Charterhouse, Cranleigh, Downe House, Eton, Harrow, Marlborough, Oundle, Radley, Rugby, Shrewsbury, St George’s Ascot, St George’s Weybridge, St Mary’s Ascot, St Edward’s Oxford, Tonbridge, Wellington, and Wycombe Abbey.

Fees and bursaries

Day fees per term

Nursery	£5,434
Reception	£5,434
Year 1	£6,249
Year 2	£6,249
Year 3	£9,163
Year 4	£9,163
Year 5	£9,948
Year 6	£9,948
Year 7	£9,948
Year 8	£9,948

Boarding Fees for Years 3-8
Weekly and booked in advance, charged at £50.40 (including VAT) per night.

Bursaries
Bursary information and associated policies are available on request from The Director of Finance:
finance@lambrookschool.co.uk

SEND

Co-ordinator: Angela Ford registrar@lambrookschool.co.uk
Transport links

School Transport
School bus service to/from London
School daily bus network

Public Transport
Nearest mainline train station: Ascot
Journey time to London by train: 52 minutes
Nearest international airport: Heathrow (15 miles)
Parents tell us

‘We wanted a prep school that took girls and had boarding. The school has a great ethos, amazing staff, a fantastic headmaster and space. The admissions process involved a very relaxed day of interviews and academic assessments.

Jonathan Perry is an outstanding headmaster – he is the best one I’ve come across and I’ve been through lots! He made a special effort to eat his lunch with my daughter for her first week as she was the only new person. He knows each child backwards and is interested in each family set-up. I cannot recommend him more highly.

All staff are seriously impressive and fun. The school’s communication with parents is very good. The school’s pastoral care is excellent.

Preparation for the next stage of their education is very relaxed, but thorough. ISEBs and interviews were all very relaxed, but I knew they were completely on it. There was no stress like the London system – my daughter barely knew she was doing them.

There are whole school and year socials, as well as dedicated London parents’ drinks and London reps. I wish that we had known that it was more of a day school with boarding.’

‘We chose Lambrook as it is commutable from London, has a great head, good breadth of subjects, great sports facilities and grounds and a general caring ethos.

My son enjoyed his “test” day at the school and was looked after by two boys for the day. He came away saying he'd made some new friends and really wanted to go there. However, with no guarantee of a place on the London bus, we were willing to take the risk of having to drive them there every day, in order for them to go there.

The headteacher is extremely personable. He makes a real effort to get to know every child, not only by name but also to understand how they are settling into the school. He is fantastic with parents too. The children find him very approachable.

Both boys love school and their form tutors really helped them to settle in very quickly. The school communicates with parents extremely well. If a teacher has a particular concern about anything, they are very quick to get in touch with us. Lambrook’s pastoral care is excellent. The chaplain made a real effort when the boys both arrived to get to know them and check they were happy.

They have wellbeing classes scheduled into the weekly timetable.

The day before my son boarded for the first time, the housemaster asked an “accomplished” boarder to show him around the boarding house the day before and introduced himself to my son so that it wasn't totally new the following day. He loved his experience.

There are very active WhatsApp groups for the whole year group. The London rep is great and was extremely helpful answering questions before and in the early days at being at Lambrook.

There are new parent events at the beginning of the year and, yes, there is a very active PTA – organising quizzes, a summer ball plus year group drinks. It has been a huge hit.

Lambrook has definitely lived up to our and my sons’ expectations. They love the breadth of subjects and the sporting fixtures. My son is happy to go to Saturday school and, with enough exeats, it never feels too much. Lambrook ticks every box!’
Pupils tell us

‘The three best things about my school are the sport because it is very well organised and there is so much space, the teachers because they are very nice and the music and drama departments.

The admissions process meant we had to do a test for English, maths and some reasoning and also have an interview with Mr Perry, the head. The campus is big compared to London schools, but someone is there to help you with where to go.

There are a lot of extracurricular activities. The teachers are amazing at helping you to settle in and if I had a problem, I would go to one of my teachers. Mr Perry is very kind and every time you go past him; he smiles at you and asks you about your day.

The best thing on the menu is roast gammon with potatoes, gravy and peas and their crumble with custard is amazing.

Goodhart is the yellow house and they sing: “Come on you lemons”. I wouldn’t change anything if I were head for a day. I really love it!’

‘The three best things about my school are the lovely friendly atmosphere, the ability to choose certain subjects and the range of sports on offer. As part of the admissions process, I had to sit a very relaxed exam and I also had a “chat” with the headteacher in our group about our personalities.

My advice to new students would be that you may seem like a small fish in a big pond, but all the teachers are really friendly. You should try and get involved in things you like, because this is a way to find new friends with the same hobbies as you which makes the start of school a lot more enjoyable.

There is flexi boarding at the school which is really good because you can board whenever you feel like it. I usually board on Thursdays and Fridays because boarding at the end of the week feels nicer.

I like the school food as there are always three options for lunch. My favourite is the pasta which is served on a Wednesday and Saturday.

As a tradition, every sports day the four houses walk together from the school to the track.

If I were head for a day, I would get another cricket net and put custard creams back on the snack menu!

I am aiming to go to Marlborough and Lambrook has given me a great advantage for when I get to senior school. It is a great school which gives you lots of opportunities, meaning that everyone can thrive here.’
FAQs

What is the special educational needs provision like at Lambrook?

SEND is taken very seriously at Lambrook, with seven qualified teachers guiding students through tailored one-to-one programmes to enhance their potential. The school has a learning development centre which aims to nurture children whilst enabling them to integrate into general school lessons at the right level. Lambrook's SEND provision goes as far as offering support with self-awareness, confidence, self-worth and more.

School Updates

View from the Top: Jonathan Perry on creating a culture of kindness

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WATCH: 10 Questions with Jonathan Perry, Headmaster of Lambrook School

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See Lambrook in our Town & Country Prep Schools Guide
From bucolic country preps to schools on the edge of buzzy market towns or slap bang in the centre of a city, there are a myriad of prep school options up and down the UK and within a daily minibus-ride of the Big Smoke. Use our guide to help with your search.

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How to prepare your child for the ISEB Common Pre-Test

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Lambrook School is
linked with:

Lambrook Nursery

Essentials

Address
Winkfield Row, Nr Ascot, Berkshire RG42 6LU

Contact
info@lambrookschool.co.uk
01344 882 717

Website
lambrookschool.co.uk

ISI Report

Fees

Term Dates

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